"Yes, my maiden name is Han Yiqing. Because when my mother was pregnant with me, there were several months of continuous rain causing disasters of various scales everywhere. The late Emperor disregarded his own safety and ascended the mountain to pray for the people, eventually moving the heavens. My grandfather was deeply moved by this and named me ’Qing’."
The Empress Dowager nodded, a look of nostalgia appeared on her face.
She too remembered that prolonged rainy weather.
Floods happened everywhere, people were displaced, and outside the Capital City, there were countless homeless people, causing her eyes to heat up and her heart to brim with sadness.
"Han Taifu was devoted to the people, and was the late Emperor’s most trusted elder minister. Sadly, Taifu had health issues and withdrew from the court early on." The Empress Dowager sighed deeply.
"Grandfather would be very happy knowing the Empress Dowager still remembers him."
Han Guiren placed her hands on the Empress Dowager’s knees and looked up at her with eyes full of joy.
"Madam, I am very happy. I didn’t expect that the Empress Dowager would remember my name. I truly..." Before Han Guiren could finish, her eyes reddened, and she hurriedly lowered her head to wipe the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.
"I have lost my composure, please forgive me, Madam."
"This child, why is she crying again?" The Empress Dowager spoke jokingly: "In the future, whenever you want vegetarian meals, just come to my place."
Han Guiren thanked her joyfully.
Li Yuyu was unaware of the events occurring in Cining Palace. She paid no mind to Zhang Jian coming to Cining Palace to complain to the Empress Dowager.
These two days, she was pondering how to keep a pond of koi like the Empress Dowager.
The courtyard, having been dug unevenly by her and others, appeared charming to her, making her excited to fill it with water.
"Concubine, calm yourself." Hua Yin grabbed Li Yuyu, who was about to personally use the pipe to fill the water.
"What is happening here?"
When Yan Xiu arrived leading others, seeing the mess everywhere, he couldn’t help frowning. Upon seeing Li Yuyu holding a long pipe, with mud on her sleeves, he immediately had a stern expression: "How are you serving her? How can you let the Concubine do this?"
"Calm your anger, Emperor." Hua Yin and others knelt and pleaded.
"Emperor, you’re here." Li Yuyu, with her hair stuck uncomfortably to her face, lifted her hand to rub it with her wrist.
Yan Xiu approached, glanced at Li Yuyu’s flower-smeared little face, and pursed his lips.
Receiving a clean handkerchief from a Palace Attendant, he gently lifted Li Yuyu’s chin and wiped her cheeks.
"Huh? Got something on my face?" Li Yuyu adorably wrinkled her nose and explained: "Emperor, I want to raise koi fish, they are helping me dig a fish pond. You can let them rise, I wanted to do it myself and they don’t dare stop me."
Fish pond?
Yan Xiu looked at the uneven dirt pit, imagining it filled with water, teeming with fish...
Well, the scene is too marvelous, he couldn’t quite picture it.
"Beloved concubine, you’d better change clothes first. As for the fish pond, I’ll find a way." Yan Xiu said, glancing at Feng Yin.
"Weren’t you planning to check if there are any lotus pods in the lotus pond? Why not go now? The sun is not too harsh," Feng Yin approached, smiling as he persuaded her.
Li Yuyu thought of the lotus pods, swallowed, and was about to leave.
Feng Yin tugged at her sleeve.
Li Yuyu snapped back to her senses, turned and gracefully saluted Yan Xiu in farewell: "I’ll go change first, Emperor, please feel at ease."
Yan Xiu: ...
Not bad, she remembered to salute him, worthy of commendation.
"Shen Quan." Yan Xiu called for Shen Quan and immediately ordered someone to help rebuild the fish pond for Li Yuyu. To not disrupt Luaxin Pavilion’s overall arrangement, he had people bring pen and ink, and personally drew the plan.